Tutor's FAQs
Some important points and tips
This is our policy: Identify the learner's interests and goals and then locate suitable resources in our library or on the web which will be useful. We have a library of books and manuals in our Loyola Hall location for in-person tutoring and also an online library to be accessed when we are tutoring online.
Ask advanced learners to bring in material such as an article (a short one) of interest, read it with them, and discuss it. Ask them to write something about it—first of all, what it says, then their opinion of it, a parallel idea or experience, etc. This is a good strategy for learners who are willing to do homework (although not many wish to have assignments, some learners are eager to do just that).
Ask your learner to describe in some detail a problem he or she had with English during the week or during the last few days—for example, something that came up because of the language barrier. Such a discussion reminds both of you why you are at the LCLC, and it becomes a rich source of ideas for lesson plans. You can tailor lesson plans very specifically to the learner's needs once this pattern is set. The learner can ask for help simply by saying, "I wanted to say/do this and couldn't figure out how," and you can take it from there, not only supplying the needed vocabulary and English sentences but clearing up confusion, discussing cultural issues, etc. Such discussions will overlap as key issues come up from one week to the next.
Many tutors find discussions with other tutors to be very valuable opportunities, usually held informally before the LC session starts. For-credit tutors discuss their experiences during class meetings as well.
We use writing as a learning tool at the Center. Encourage your learner to keep a notebook with various categories: new vocabulary, verb tenses, idioms, etc. It's important to keep notes, but it is also important to keep notes in categories so they can be accessed at the right time.
Review topics that the learner has more or less mastered, at least briefly, at the start of a session (when you've made progress, of course; not before). Then if the learner runs into difficulty with new material, he or she can think back to this discussion and take heart. Emphasize what the learner has done well. When working with errors, notice patterns rather than individual errors, and focus on those that affect clear communication.
If your learner works with another tutor, pay close attention to what happens in those sessions by reading the session reports. Each session's activites are recorded by the tutor and placed in a file for each learner, to be accessed by that learner's tutors. Also, be sure to exchange information with the other tutor—including phone number and/or email address. You might not be able to meet, but you should agree on the learner's objectives. The LCLC staff reviews every file after each session in order to give advice and watch for continuity when one learner has two or more tutors, but it helps a great deal if the tutors themselves are in communication.
FAQs
Some important points and tips
This is our policy: Identify the learner's interests and goals and then locate suitable resources in our library or on the web which will be useful. We have a library of books and manuals in our Loyola Hall location for in-person tutoring and also an online library to be accessed when we are tutoring online.
Ask advanced learners to bring in material such as an article (a short one) of interest, read it with them, and discuss it. Ask them to write something about it—first of all, what it says, then their opinion of it, a parallel idea or experience, etc. This is a good strategy for learners who are willing to do homework (although not many wish to have assignments, some learners are eager to do just that).
Ask your learner to describe in some detail a problem he or she had with English during the week or during the last few days—for example, something that came up because of the language barrier. Such a discussion reminds both of you why you are at the LCLC, and it becomes a rich source of ideas for lesson plans. You can tailor lesson plans very specifically to the learner's needs once this pattern is set. The learner can ask for help simply by saying, "I wanted to say/do this and couldn't figure out how," and you can take it from there, not only supplying the needed vocabulary and English sentences but clearing up confusion, discussing cultural issues, etc. Such discussions will overlap as key issues come up from one week to the next.
Many tutors find discussions with other tutors to be very valuable opportunities, usually held informally before the LC session starts. For-credit tutors discuss their experiences during class meetings as well.
We use writing as a learning tool at the Center. Encourage your learner to keep a notebook with various categories: new vocabulary, verb tenses, idioms, etc. It's important to keep notes, but it is also important to keep notes in categories so they can be accessed at the right time.
Review topics that the learner has more or less mastered, at least briefly, at the start of a session (when you've made progress, of course; not before). Then if the learner runs into difficulty with new material, he or she can think back to this discussion and take heart. Emphasize what the learner has done well. When working with errors, notice patterns rather than individual errors, and focus on those that affect clear communication.
If your learner works with another tutor, pay close attention to what happens in those sessions by reading the session reports. Each session's activites are recorded by the tutor and placed in a file for each learner, to be accessed by that learner's tutors. Also, be sure to exchange information with the other tutor—including phone number and/or email address. You might not be able to meet, but you should agree on the learner's objectives. The LCLC staff reviews every file after each session in order to give advice and watch for continuity when one learner has two or more tutors, but it helps a great deal if the tutors themselves are in communication.